Unit 9 Project: Rural Community Action For Better Health
Unit 9 Project
Rural Community Action for Better Health
Suzy Student
Learning University
CM220-28
Professor Awesome
February 14, 2013
Rural Community Action for Better Health
The vast fields and beautiful mountains of West Virginia are hiding secrets of poverty and desperation. West Virginia has severe health problems that are curable and avoidable through proper nutrition. The majority of citizens often struggle to feed their families consistent nutritious meals. This causes an array of chronic illnesses; diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and the list goes on. How can something be done to stop this atrocious problem? Providing research based facts to create awareness about these alarming health problems …show more content…
is the first step. A program offering guidance on reaching optimal health in poor and rural areas will succeed by encouraging the community to work together; enlightening them to fresh food resources they have available; and educating them on healthy food choices, preparations, and long-term storage.
Increasing consciousness about nutrition related health issues in the rural communities of West Virginia will provide knowledge and inspiration to take action against the current situation. West Virginia is the third highest obese state per capita in the United States; obesity causes heart disease and type 2 diabetes which can be prevented and diminished through proper nutrition (CDC, 2012). Eating healthy can be a challenge for many people. Nationwide an estimated 3.1 million rural households are food insecure, which means they lack the resources to provide their families with consistent quality meals (Feeding America, 2014). West Virginia is both rural and economically depressed; obesity, food insecurity, and poverty are closely connected in West Virginia (Amarasinghe, D’Souza, Brown, Oh, Borisova, 2009). As a result, these poverty stricken people do not have the ability to provide nutritious foods, and cheaper more accessible foods are high in fats, refined grains, and sugars (FRAC, 2011). While it is true this is the current status of West Virginia’s adversities, it does not necessarily mean there is no hope for future health resolutions. These disturbing facts can encourage positive results when rural West Virginia communities decide to take action, and use their local resources through hunting wild game and communal gardening.
Ultimately, what is at stake here is the health of each individual and West Virginia as a whole.
Communities getting involved in helping each other would overcome many of the obstacles they are facing. Talking to local organizations, churches, and local officials would benefit in implementing a program that brings people together optimizing the use of local fresh food resources to diminish the struggles they face. This variety of people providing additional ideas and support for a program to help out underprivileged individuals and families facilitate their nutritional needs makes the possibilities endless. Volunteers from local organizations and churches could provide creative assistance from experience in their diverse backgrounds. Using larger programs as an example such as “Let’s Move,” can show rural citizens what this program is accomplishing by solving similar issues in other areas of the United States. This example can supply a small community in West Virginia with ideas and even financial support from the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. The Healthy Food Financing Initiative provides funding to help supply underserved communities with fresh food (Let’s Move, n.d.). Since Let’s Move focuses on working together and self-reliance, it could only benefit a rural community to ask for funding on starting a program that involves communal gardening and hunting wild game to promote self-sufficiency. There are other options for funding such as local businesses, …show more content…
fundraisers, and donations. Great feats will be accomplished when the community assists each other.
Furthermore, there are options for obtaining land for communal gardening and hunting that do not require funding and only the involvement of local residents. Large landowners donating plots for gardens and areas for hunting would provide options for the disadvantaged in their areas. Additionally, neighbors and friends can share gardens and hunting land. Community gardens promote social interaction, food security, physical activity, and self-reliance (Carney, Hamada, Rdesinski, Sprager, Nichols, Liu, . . . Shannon, 2012). Fresh food resources are in abundance in these rural areas through gardening and hunting. It is time to take advantage of assets these rural areas have naturally.
Many people in West Virginia have small gardens and hunt particular seasons during the year, but do not use these practices throughout all seasons. There are winter vegetables that can be grown, and preserving produce from earlier in the year will sustain these communities with nutritious food through the low production periods. Also, there are a variety of different animals to hunt at various times throughout the year. Wildlife management is a science that designs hunting seasons to ensure the survival of the species and control the population (DNR Wildlife Resources, 2014). Consequently, hunting seasons for different animals may slightly vary on specific dates to allow the animals to thrive. During seasons of overpopulation, wildlife management may allow opportunities for hunting these animals during nontraditional times of the year. Educating rural West Virginia areas on what they have available during the whole year will provide them with resources to achieve a healthier lifestyle. All of this is literally out their backdoors.
However, the subject of hunting can be controversial in certain circles. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an organization that comes to the forefront on this topic. PETA has strong beliefs and denounces any kind of animal consumption and hunting. According to PETA, “Although it was a crucial part of humans’ survival 100,000 years ago, hunting is now nothing more than a violent form of recreation that the vast majority of hunters do not need for subsistence” (2013). For them to claim that hunting is a violent form of recreation is one-sided thinking. I think PETA is mistaken because they overlook the fact that many people in rural communities rely on game meat to feed their families throughout the year.
West Virginian’s have a long history of living off the land to provide for their families and communities.
WVDNR Wildlife Resources states, “Hunting in West Virginia is a time-honored tradition in which the majority of families have at least one member who participates on a regular basis” (2014). People hunting together and working toward the goal of sustainability provides well-being. Wild game meat is the epitome of free range and very nutritious (Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital Dietitians. (n.d.). Wild game is also steroid and antibiotic free which provides other health benefits. For this reason, encouraging hunting which is already common in rural areas benefits people with food insecurity in numerous ways (Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital Dietitians. (n.d.). Hunting is a family and community sport that requires physical activity and leads to healthier individuals as a
whole.
Equally important is using existing education programs to teach people without hunting experience hunting techniques and safety. West Virginia provides a hunter’s education course free of charge that teaches how to identify wild game, respect for the animals, first aid and survival, how to safely hunt, and most importantly how to safely use a firearm (WVDNR Law Enforcement, 2003). This is a class that is taught by all volunteers that come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from current Division of Natural Resource (DNR) officers, retired DNR officers, and avid hunters who have variety of different jobs in the community (WVDNR Law Enforcement, 2003). These classes provide socialization as well as education for people with similar interests. In addition to hunting for using local fresh food resources available in a rural area, education on home gardening and implementing community gardens will assist these areas in achieving optimal health. Growing and consuming fresh fruit and vegetables has many health benefits. Increased produce consumption can protect against certain cancers; reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity; and also lower blood pressure (USDA, n.d.). It only makes sense for the health of the entire community to help each other grow their own food. Some people have land for gardens, but do not have the resources or knowledge of how and what to grow. Many different seasonal varieties of fruits and vegetables can be grown in West Virginia. Implementing classes that are free of charge and taught by volunteers will give citizens the tools and knowledge necessary to grow their own gardens. Encouraging neighbors and families to share gardens will also help with success. From large landowners donating portions of their unused fields, community gardens would also be formed. Starting community gardens and teaching people how to tend them has proven to provide better nutrition because people enjoy eating food they have grown, and it also bonds communities together (Bahnson, F., 2013).
Finally, classes on proper food handling from game meat to produce would need to be taught, and proper long-term storage techniques would need to be explained as well. These would include the near lost art of canning and freezing their own food for later use. By canning food personally, it retains many more nutrients than store bought items. Different contents can be controlled such as sodium and not using any chemical preservatives. Canning can be a creative and fun learning experience for groups of people. Likewise, classes on different varieties of healthy food preparations would be offered. Also, teaching them how to prepare the meats they hunted and produce they have grown in recipes together would be beneficial for them in achieving long term success with their health goals.
All these possibilities being considered, positive changes can be made in the alarming health statistics for rural West Virginia. Getting individuals to work together provides advantages in the community and gives all the citizens the opportunity to learn from each other. Implementing a successful program that combines all of these resources will bring a sense of accomplishment to each individual and the community. Confidence will be instilled by showing them how to obtain and use the fresh food resources available. By teaching individuals healthier preparation techniques and food handling skills small changes can be made creating big advances in their health. When each citizen reaches their health goal, it ultimately results in West Virginia becoming healthier.
Revision of Unit 5 Letter to the Editor
To the Editor, People in our area are sick and suffering due to poor nutrition. I’ve been inspired by Fred Bahnson’s article, “What Grows in a Garden,” to get people in our area involved in communal gardening because of its benefits. Bahnson stated, “the way we eat is killing us: one third of us suffer from obesity and one in six suffer from hunger.” These are alarming facts. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), West Virginia is ranked 3rd in the nation for obesity which causes at least two diseases that are prevented and cured through healthier nutrition, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Getting neighbors and friends to share gardens and land would increase the availability of fruits and vegetables and boost consumption. This would provide health benefits and disease prevention.
Citizens working together learn how to care for the land and each other. The article gave an example of a garden in North Carolina that produced 9 tons of organic produce on a half-acre of land for a local food pantry. Wouldn’t it be amazing to do that here? With all of the open land everyone has, we can do so much more! Also, it explained how in a garden everything is connected, and so are we. By each person becoming healthier the community becomes healthier. Community gardens provide physical activity, teamwork, and nutritious food. It just makes sense! Working together in community gardens are a great step toward healing and helping people in our area. Please contact me for ideas in your area and for more information.
Sincerely,
Suzy Student
Multimodal Project (Unit 7)
The multimodal element of my project is an Animoto video that shows statistics along with facts on the benefits of rural community gardens. Community gardening is only part of my project, but I used the Animoto to showcase it and keep encouraging the theme of people working together for a healthier community. The images were chosen to emphasize the facts I used in the text. For example, using a beautiful West Virginia road with the statistics, “3.1 million rural American’s suffer from food insecurity” contrasts with the scenery and astounding facts. The text space is limited, and I was not able to elaborate on the many benefits that community gardens offer. I tried to incorporate pieces of information on the health benefits from fresh produce as well as the physical and emotional advantages of communal gardening. Throughout the presentation I tried to convey the importance of helping each other. Ultimately, that is the main component of my project. Here is the link to the video: http://animoto.com/play/ngnbGcJmjSkMfKJoieUwWA Below, I briefly described each slide and its contents. Full citations are provided in the References.
Slide 1: a) Rural road in West Virginia [Photograph]: (LaSure, n.d.) b) 3.1 million rural Americans. . . (Feeding America, 2014)
Slide 2: 1/3 of the U.S. is overweight. . . (CDC, 2012)
Slide 3: a) Community garden sign [photograph]: (Chiots, 2010)
b) Food security, physical activity. . . (Carney, Hamada, Rdesinski, Sprager, Nichols, Liu, . . . Shannon, 2012)
Slide 4: a) Basket of fresh vegetables [Photograph]: (untitled basket of vegetables, 2013) b) Increased nutrients. . . (USDA, n.d.)
Slide 5: a) People working together in a community garden [Photograph]. (Untitled photograph of people working together in a community garden, 2013)
b) Caring for the land and each other [Text, no citation needed]
Reflections
During this class I learned many things about myself as a writer. I realized I am a perfectionist when it comes to writing. At times, this causes me to struggle. I just want to convey my message in a clear way. I enjoy researching topics, and applying the information I learned to the topic I am discussing. During the research process of this project it helped me brainstorm on different ideas and solutions. I thoroughly enjoy getting my ideas on paper. This class took me through a gradual process of thinking about new ideas. My brain is constantly thinking over things, and sometimes I tend to overthink. I learned how to focus on a certain area or task.
Likewise, the process of writing doesn’t have to be so daunting. I used to have anxiety over beginning an essay. I learned that everyone has their own writing process, but you have to find a process that works for you is the best. By having to an outline in Unit 6’s Invention Lab, my process now begins with an outline. It may start out in a crude form, but it allows me to focus on the main topics I want to cover. I can then go in and insert the details. I also learned that the revision and editing process can be fun. The post draft outline we did in Unit 8 helped tremendously. It showed me how my paper was lacking information and the essay was out of sequence from my thesis statement. I plan to use these processes on other pieces of work.
Additionally, the skills I acquired in this class can be applied in many areas of my life, in future writing, and in other classes. The way things were broken down in segments throughout the course taught me to focus on one thing at a time and not the big picture. Otherwise, thoughts and ideas can get misconstrued. I am studying nutrition. The way I learned to create concise sentences can help me explain numerous things to patients in a way that isn’t so jumbled. Another thing I found helpful were the tech labs. I fooled around with some other applications, but chose Animoto because it was so easy to use. It also had a great background and song choice to help my presentation flow.
Consequently, the Invention Labs were very helpful. The interaction with others concerning our writing provided needed insight. Commenting on their work helped me look back and review techniques that helped me. Their comments made me think, and gave helpful tips to make me a better writer. Also, it was interesting to see how other people wrote. I was able to notice errors in my own writing, and apply techniques they used to fix my problems. Seeing the different writing styles opened my eyes to numerous ways to convey your message. The feedback I received from classmates and the instructor helped tremendously on my revisions for all components of the final project. It allowed me to see my work from another point of view and notice errors I missed. Submitting my paper to the Writing Center was also very helpful. I had never utilized this option, and was very impressed with how they went over problems in my essay. All in all I have learned so much through this course that I can take with me in other areas of writing, and even apply some of what I learned to daily living.
References
Amarasinghe, A., D’Souza, G., Brown, C., Oh, H., Borisova, T. (2009, July 29). The influence of socioeconomic and environmental determinants on health and obesity: a West Virginia case study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 6, 2271-2287. doi: 10.3390/ijerph6082271
Bahnson, F. (2013, July 31). What grows in a garden? Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2013/07/31/what-grows-in-a-garden/11916
Carney, P., Hamada, J., Rdesinski, R., Sprager, L., Nichols, K., Liu, B., . . . Shannon, J. (2012, August). Impact of a community gardening project on vegetable intake, food security, and family relationships: a community-based participatory research study. Journal of Community Health, 37(4), 874-881. doi: 10.1007/s10900-011-9522-z
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). Adult obesity facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Chiots, S. (Photographer). (2010). Orville community gardens sign [Photograph], Retrieved January 25, 2014, from http://chiotsrun.com/2010/07/30/orrville-community-gardens/
Feeding America. (2014). Rural Hunger. Retrieved from http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/rural-hunger.aspx
Food and Research Action Center (FRAC). (2013, December 1). Profile of hunger, poverty, and federal nutrition programs: West Virginia. Retrieved from http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/wv.pdf
Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital Dietitians. (n.d.). Game meat as part of a healthy diet. Retrieved from http://www.tceconsult.org/TOW%20downloads/Supplements&SpecialFoods/Game%20Meat.pdf
LaSure, T. (Photographer). (n.d.). Autumn in Rural West Virginia [Photograph], Retrieved January 25, 2014, from http://www.deviantart.com/art/Autumn-in-Rural-West-Virginia-182769123
Let 's Move. (n.d.). Healthy communities. Retrieved from http://www.letsmove.gov/healthy-communities
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). (2013). Why sport hunting is cruel and unnecessary. Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/issues/wildlife/wildlife-factsheets/sport-hunting-cruel-unnecessary/
[Untitled photograph of basket of fresh vegetables]. (2013). Kijana fresh groceries. Retrieved February 3, 2014, from http://kijanifreshgroceries.kbo.co.ke/
[Untitled photograph of people working in a community garden]. (2013, June 10). Community garden [Blog post]. Retrieved February 3, 2014, from http://sphere3consulting.blogspot.com/2013/06/community-garden.html
USDA (n.d.). Why is it important to eat vegetables? Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-why.html
WVDNR Law Enforcement. (2003). West Virginia hunter education program. Retrieved from http://www.wvdnr.gov/lenforce/education.shtm
WVDNR Wildlife Resources. (2014). Hunting in West Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/hunting.shtm
Rural Community Action for Better Health
Suzy Student
Learning University
CM220-28
Professor Awesome
February 14, 2013
Rural Community Action for Better Health
The vast fields and beautiful mountains of West Virginia are hiding secrets of poverty and desperation. West Virginia has severe health problems that are curable and avoidable through proper nutrition. The majority of citizens often struggle to feed their families consistent nutritious meals. This causes an array of chronic illnesses; diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and the list goes on. How can something be done to stop this atrocious problem? Providing research based facts to create awareness about these alarming health problems …show more content…
is the first step. A program offering guidance on reaching optimal health in poor and rural areas will succeed by encouraging the community to work together; enlightening them to fresh food resources they have available; and educating them on healthy food choices, preparations, and long-term storage.
Increasing consciousness about nutrition related health issues in the rural communities of West Virginia will provide knowledge and inspiration to take action against the current situation. West Virginia is the third highest obese state per capita in the United States; obesity causes heart disease and type 2 diabetes which can be prevented and diminished through proper nutrition (CDC, 2012). Eating healthy can be a challenge for many people. Nationwide an estimated 3.1 million rural households are food insecure, which means they lack the resources to provide their families with consistent quality meals (Feeding America, 2014). West Virginia is both rural and economically depressed; obesity, food insecurity, and poverty are closely connected in West Virginia (Amarasinghe, D’Souza, Brown, Oh, Borisova, 2009). As a result, these poverty stricken people do not have the ability to provide nutritious foods, and cheaper more accessible foods are high in fats, refined grains, and sugars (FRAC, 2011). While it is true this is the current status of West Virginia’s adversities, it does not necessarily mean there is no hope for future health resolutions. These disturbing facts can encourage positive results when rural West Virginia communities decide to take action, and use their local resources through hunting wild game and communal gardening.
Ultimately, what is at stake here is the health of each individual and West Virginia as a whole.
Communities getting involved in helping each other would overcome many of the obstacles they are facing. Talking to local organizations, churches, and local officials would benefit in implementing a program that brings people together optimizing the use of local fresh food resources to diminish the struggles they face. This variety of people providing additional ideas and support for a program to help out underprivileged individuals and families facilitate their nutritional needs makes the possibilities endless. Volunteers from local organizations and churches could provide creative assistance from experience in their diverse backgrounds. Using larger programs as an example such as “Let’s Move,” can show rural citizens what this program is accomplishing by solving similar issues in other areas of the United States. This example can supply a small community in West Virginia with ideas and even financial support from the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. The Healthy Food Financing Initiative provides funding to help supply underserved communities with fresh food (Let’s Move, n.d.). Since Let’s Move focuses on working together and self-reliance, it could only benefit a rural community to ask for funding on starting a program that involves communal gardening and hunting wild game to promote self-sufficiency. There are other options for funding such as local businesses, …show more content…
fundraisers, and donations. Great feats will be accomplished when the community assists each other.
Furthermore, there are options for obtaining land for communal gardening and hunting that do not require funding and only the involvement of local residents. Large landowners donating plots for gardens and areas for hunting would provide options for the disadvantaged in their areas. Additionally, neighbors and friends can share gardens and hunting land. Community gardens promote social interaction, food security, physical activity, and self-reliance (Carney, Hamada, Rdesinski, Sprager, Nichols, Liu, . . . Shannon, 2012). Fresh food resources are in abundance in these rural areas through gardening and hunting. It is time to take advantage of assets these rural areas have naturally.
Many people in West Virginia have small gardens and hunt particular seasons during the year, but do not use these practices throughout all seasons. There are winter vegetables that can be grown, and preserving produce from earlier in the year will sustain these communities with nutritious food through the low production periods. Also, there are a variety of different animals to hunt at various times throughout the year. Wildlife management is a science that designs hunting seasons to ensure the survival of the species and control the population (DNR Wildlife Resources, 2014). Consequently, hunting seasons for different animals may slightly vary on specific dates to allow the animals to thrive. During seasons of overpopulation, wildlife management may allow opportunities for hunting these animals during nontraditional times of the year. Educating rural West Virginia areas on what they have available during the whole year will provide them with resources to achieve a healthier lifestyle. All of this is literally out their backdoors.
However, the subject of hunting can be controversial in certain circles. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is an organization that comes to the forefront on this topic. PETA has strong beliefs and denounces any kind of animal consumption and hunting. According to PETA, “Although it was a crucial part of humans’ survival 100,000 years ago, hunting is now nothing more than a violent form of recreation that the vast majority of hunters do not need for subsistence” (2013). For them to claim that hunting is a violent form of recreation is one-sided thinking. I think PETA is mistaken because they overlook the fact that many people in rural communities rely on game meat to feed their families throughout the year.
West Virginian’s have a long history of living off the land to provide for their families and communities.
WVDNR Wildlife Resources states, “Hunting in West Virginia is a time-honored tradition in which the majority of families have at least one member who participates on a regular basis” (2014). People hunting together and working toward the goal of sustainability provides well-being. Wild game meat is the epitome of free range and very nutritious (Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital Dietitians. (n.d.). Wild game is also steroid and antibiotic free which provides other health benefits. For this reason, encouraging hunting which is already common in rural areas benefits people with food insecurity in numerous ways (Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital Dietitians. (n.d.). Hunting is a family and community sport that requires physical activity and leads to healthier individuals as a
whole.
Equally important is using existing education programs to teach people without hunting experience hunting techniques and safety. West Virginia provides a hunter’s education course free of charge that teaches how to identify wild game, respect for the animals, first aid and survival, how to safely hunt, and most importantly how to safely use a firearm (WVDNR Law Enforcement, 2003). This is a class that is taught by all volunteers that come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from current Division of Natural Resource (DNR) officers, retired DNR officers, and avid hunters who have variety of different jobs in the community (WVDNR Law Enforcement, 2003). These classes provide socialization as well as education for people with similar interests. In addition to hunting for using local fresh food resources available in a rural area, education on home gardening and implementing community gardens will assist these areas in achieving optimal health. Growing and consuming fresh fruit and vegetables has many health benefits. Increased produce consumption can protect against certain cancers; reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity; and also lower blood pressure (USDA, n.d.). It only makes sense for the health of the entire community to help each other grow their own food. Some people have land for gardens, but do not have the resources or knowledge of how and what to grow. Many different seasonal varieties of fruits and vegetables can be grown in West Virginia. Implementing classes that are free of charge and taught by volunteers will give citizens the tools and knowledge necessary to grow their own gardens. Encouraging neighbors and families to share gardens will also help with success. From large landowners donating portions of their unused fields, community gardens would also be formed. Starting community gardens and teaching people how to tend them has proven to provide better nutrition because people enjoy eating food they have grown, and it also bonds communities together (Bahnson, F., 2013).
Finally, classes on proper food handling from game meat to produce would need to be taught, and proper long-term storage techniques would need to be explained as well. These would include the near lost art of canning and freezing their own food for later use. By canning food personally, it retains many more nutrients than store bought items. Different contents can be controlled such as sodium and not using any chemical preservatives. Canning can be a creative and fun learning experience for groups of people. Likewise, classes on different varieties of healthy food preparations would be offered. Also, teaching them how to prepare the meats they hunted and produce they have grown in recipes together would be beneficial for them in achieving long term success with their health goals.
All these possibilities being considered, positive changes can be made in the alarming health statistics for rural West Virginia. Getting individuals to work together provides advantages in the community and gives all the citizens the opportunity to learn from each other. Implementing a successful program that combines all of these resources will bring a sense of accomplishment to each individual and the community. Confidence will be instilled by showing them how to obtain and use the fresh food resources available. By teaching individuals healthier preparation techniques and food handling skills small changes can be made creating big advances in their health. When each citizen reaches their health goal, it ultimately results in West Virginia becoming healthier.
Revision of Unit 5 Letter to the Editor
To the Editor, People in our area are sick and suffering due to poor nutrition. I’ve been inspired by Fred Bahnson’s article, “What Grows in a Garden,” to get people in our area involved in communal gardening because of its benefits. Bahnson stated, “the way we eat is killing us: one third of us suffer from obesity and one in six suffer from hunger.” These are alarming facts. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), West Virginia is ranked 3rd in the nation for obesity which causes at least two diseases that are prevented and cured through healthier nutrition, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Getting neighbors and friends to share gardens and land would increase the availability of fruits and vegetables and boost consumption. This would provide health benefits and disease prevention.
Citizens working together learn how to care for the land and each other. The article gave an example of a garden in North Carolina that produced 9 tons of organic produce on a half-acre of land for a local food pantry. Wouldn’t it be amazing to do that here? With all of the open land everyone has, we can do so much more! Also, it explained how in a garden everything is connected, and so are we. By each person becoming healthier the community becomes healthier. Community gardens provide physical activity, teamwork, and nutritious food. It just makes sense! Working together in community gardens are a great step toward healing and helping people in our area. Please contact me for ideas in your area and for more information.
Sincerely,
Suzy Student
Multimodal Project (Unit 7)
The multimodal element of my project is an Animoto video that shows statistics along with facts on the benefits of rural community gardens. Community gardening is only part of my project, but I used the Animoto to showcase it and keep encouraging the theme of people working together for a healthier community. The images were chosen to emphasize the facts I used in the text. For example, using a beautiful West Virginia road with the statistics, “3.1 million rural American’s suffer from food insecurity” contrasts with the scenery and astounding facts. The text space is limited, and I was not able to elaborate on the many benefits that community gardens offer. I tried to incorporate pieces of information on the health benefits from fresh produce as well as the physical and emotional advantages of communal gardening. Throughout the presentation I tried to convey the importance of helping each other. Ultimately, that is the main component of my project. Here is the link to the video: http://animoto.com/play/ngnbGcJmjSkMfKJoieUwWA Below, I briefly described each slide and its contents. Full citations are provided in the References.
Slide 1: a) Rural road in West Virginia [Photograph]: (LaSure, n.d.) b) 3.1 million rural Americans. . . (Feeding America, 2014)
Slide 2: 1/3 of the U.S. is overweight. . . (CDC, 2012)
Slide 3: a) Community garden sign [photograph]: (Chiots, 2010)
b) Food security, physical activity. . . (Carney, Hamada, Rdesinski, Sprager, Nichols, Liu, . . . Shannon, 2012)
Slide 4: a) Basket of fresh vegetables [Photograph]: (untitled basket of vegetables, 2013) b) Increased nutrients. . . (USDA, n.d.)
Slide 5: a) People working together in a community garden [Photograph]. (Untitled photograph of people working together in a community garden, 2013)
b) Caring for the land and each other [Text, no citation needed]
Reflections
During this class I learned many things about myself as a writer. I realized I am a perfectionist when it comes to writing. At times, this causes me to struggle. I just want to convey my message in a clear way. I enjoy researching topics, and applying the information I learned to the topic I am discussing. During the research process of this project it helped me brainstorm on different ideas and solutions. I thoroughly enjoy getting my ideas on paper. This class took me through a gradual process of thinking about new ideas. My brain is constantly thinking over things, and sometimes I tend to overthink. I learned how to focus on a certain area or task.
Likewise, the process of writing doesn’t have to be so daunting. I used to have anxiety over beginning an essay. I learned that everyone has their own writing process, but you have to find a process that works for you is the best. By having to an outline in Unit 6’s Invention Lab, my process now begins with an outline. It may start out in a crude form, but it allows me to focus on the main topics I want to cover. I can then go in and insert the details. I also learned that the revision and editing process can be fun. The post draft outline we did in Unit 8 helped tremendously. It showed me how my paper was lacking information and the essay was out of sequence from my thesis statement. I plan to use these processes on other pieces of work.
Additionally, the skills I acquired in this class can be applied in many areas of my life, in future writing, and in other classes. The way things were broken down in segments throughout the course taught me to focus on one thing at a time and not the big picture. Otherwise, thoughts and ideas can get misconstrued. I am studying nutrition. The way I learned to create concise sentences can help me explain numerous things to patients in a way that isn’t so jumbled. Another thing I found helpful were the tech labs. I fooled around with some other applications, but chose Animoto because it was so easy to use. It also had a great background and song choice to help my presentation flow.
Consequently, the Invention Labs were very helpful. The interaction with others concerning our writing provided needed insight. Commenting on their work helped me look back and review techniques that helped me. Their comments made me think, and gave helpful tips to make me a better writer. Also, it was interesting to see how other people wrote. I was able to notice errors in my own writing, and apply techniques they used to fix my problems. Seeing the different writing styles opened my eyes to numerous ways to convey your message. The feedback I received from classmates and the instructor helped tremendously on my revisions for all components of the final project. It allowed me to see my work from another point of view and notice errors I missed. Submitting my paper to the Writing Center was also very helpful. I had never utilized this option, and was very impressed with how they went over problems in my essay. All in all I have learned so much through this course that I can take with me in other areas of writing, and even apply some of what I learned to daily living.
References
Amarasinghe, A., D’Souza, G., Brown, C., Oh, H., Borisova, T. (2009, July 29). The influence of socioeconomic and environmental determinants on health and obesity: a West Virginia case study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 6, 2271-2287. doi: 10.3390/ijerph6082271
Bahnson, F. (2013, July 31). What grows in a garden? Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2013/07/31/what-grows-in-a-garden/11916
Carney, P., Hamada, J., Rdesinski, R., Sprager, L., Nichols, K., Liu, B., . . . Shannon, J. (2012, August). Impact of a community gardening project on vegetable intake, food security, and family relationships: a community-based participatory research study. Journal of Community Health, 37(4), 874-881. doi: 10.1007/s10900-011-9522-z
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). Adult obesity facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Chiots, S. (Photographer). (2010). Orville community gardens sign [Photograph], Retrieved January 25, 2014, from http://chiotsrun.com/2010/07/30/orrville-community-gardens/
Feeding America. (2014). Rural Hunger. Retrieved from http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/rural-hunger.aspx
Food and Research Action Center (FRAC). (2013, December 1). Profile of hunger, poverty, and federal nutrition programs: West Virginia. Retrieved from http://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/wv.pdf
Froedtert and Community Memorial Hospital Dietitians. (n.d.). Game meat as part of a healthy diet. Retrieved from http://www.tceconsult.org/TOW%20downloads/Supplements&SpecialFoods/Game%20Meat.pdf
LaSure, T. (Photographer). (n.d.). Autumn in Rural West Virginia [Photograph], Retrieved January 25, 2014, from http://www.deviantart.com/art/Autumn-in-Rural-West-Virginia-182769123
Let 's Move. (n.d.). Healthy communities. Retrieved from http://www.letsmove.gov/healthy-communities
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). (2013). Why sport hunting is cruel and unnecessary. Retrieved from http://www.peta.org/issues/wildlife/wildlife-factsheets/sport-hunting-cruel-unnecessary/
[Untitled photograph of basket of fresh vegetables]. (2013). Kijana fresh groceries. Retrieved February 3, 2014, from http://kijanifreshgroceries.kbo.co.ke/
[Untitled photograph of people working in a community garden]. (2013, June 10). Community garden [Blog post]. Retrieved February 3, 2014, from http://sphere3consulting.blogspot.com/2013/06/community-garden.html
USDA (n.d.). Why is it important to eat vegetables? Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-why.html
WVDNR Law Enforcement. (2003). West Virginia hunter education program. Retrieved from http://www.wvdnr.gov/lenforce/education.shtm
WVDNR Wildlife Resources. (2014). Hunting in West Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/hunting.shtm